Tread



Patented May 19, 1931 UNrrED STATES PATE-Nr oFFlcE-j DE FOREST ROE, OFCLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR IO THE CDLSON COMPANY, yOF

ELYRIA, OHl'O, A CORPORATION OF 1,

Application filed June 23,

My invention relates to treads and relatesk particularly to rubbertreads adaptable for use as supporting feet for the legs of furnituresuch as those of chairs and the like.

It is commonly known that chairs of the common oflice and residencetypes resting upon legs are injurious to rugs or floors'upon which theyrest and this is more particularly true in the case of legged oflicechairs of the ordinary types whose users are accustomed to incline themrearwardly during use.

An object of my invention, therefore, is to largely avoid the injuriouseffort of the ends of chair legs upon rugs, carpets and floors.

Another object of my invention is to provide-an improved supportingtread adaptable for use for tables, chairs, desks and the like whichwill make good frictional contact with the floor upon which the articlesrest and which will effect quiet movement when the article is pushedalong the floor and which will not be injurious to the surface upon Fwhich it rests.

2 Another object of my invention is to pro- Vide as an article ofmanufacture an improved tread for the legs of chairs or the like whichmay be attached thereto readily and without difliculty by inexperiencedpeople.

39 Another object of my invention is to provide an improved tread forchair legs or the like which may be readily attached by the use of asimple tool, such as a screw driver.

Other objects of my invention and the in vention itself will become moreapparent from the following description and in which descriptionreference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 villustrates an embodiment of my invention attached to the end ofa chair leg, the View being in longitudinal medial section;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the tread alone;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the tread of the foregoing figuresshown attached to the lower end of a chair leg which is shown inclinedto the position it would assume when softy rubber or'rubber compositionmaterial 1928. serial 1570.287349.

the user of the chair has tilted the chair, when in use, rearwardly; and

Fig. 4 is aperspective View of the tread alone.

Referring nowto all of the figures of draw- 53 ings in all of whichlike'parts willbe ydesignated by like reference characters7 1illustrates the lower end of aI chair leg,2 illusi trates a rubber treadattached thereto,'and at 3 there is shown a metallic strip over which G9the rubber body l of the tread is molded. Themetallic strip is ofgenerally L-shaped form with an uplifted clamping portion 5 j adapted tobe secured by a screw 6 tothe bottom surface of the leg. Dependingportions C35 7 and 8 of the strip are disposed on the two sides of theclamping portion 5 and when the screw 6 is driven home the rubberportions) and 10, interposed between the 'strip depending portion andthebottom surface of the leg, l@ are put under compression so as to make atight joint all' around the border portion of the leg bottom surface.The upper' arm 11 of the reenforcing strip projects .from the rubbertread body, and terminates in an apertured tongue adapted to receive thescrew 12 which projects laterally therethrough to clamp'it onralateral'side of the leg.

The tread body 2- is preferably made of andfis preferably of angularformation comprising anapproximately plain body vsurface 13 andangularly disposed plane surfaces 14 and 15 adapted for engagement withthe plane bottom and'lateral surfaces of the leg. At the front 16 andrear 17 of the tread, the treadis rounded to prevent scruifingfrictional contact with rugs, carpets or the like toV provide a morepleasing appearanceand parj ticularly at 17 to permit ready rolling whenthe chair is tilted.

Preferably the metal reenforcement will, when the screws 6 and 12, aredriven home, compress not only the rubber portions 9 and y l 10 but alsothe rubber portion 18 interposed f between the arm 3 and adjacentlateral surface of the leg.

From the foregoing the manner of attachment and the use of the tread ofmy invention will be readily apparent. It is capable of use on manydifferent types of furniture legs, and as has been described can beattached by the mere use of a screw driver.

Having thus described my invention in a certain embodiment, I am awarethat departures may be made from the embodiment herein'illustrated anddescribed, but without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

l. A tread for the bottom ends of furni-v ture legs, comprising a rubberbody having two angularly disposed arms divergent integrally securedtogether and means to secure the two arms to the bottom surface and alateral surface of a furniture leg, said means comprising a metallicstrip imbedded in the body, said strip being of generally L-shaped formand comprising an arm substantially deeply embedded within each of thearms of the body, said arms being apertured to receivesecuringscrewspassed therethrough,the apertured portions of the arms being inwardlydeflected from intermediate portions and having inner surfaces disposedsubstantially in plane alignment with their associated inner furnitureleg engaging arm faces.

2. A tread for the bottom ends of furniture legs, comprising a rubberbody having two angularly disposed divergent arms integrally securedtogether and means to secure the two arms tothe bottom surface and alateral surface of a furniture leg, said means comprising a metallicstrip imbedded 1n the body, said strip being of generally L-shape-d formand comprising an arm substantially deeply imbedded within each of thearms of the body, said arms being apertured to receive securino' screwspassed therethrough, the apertureol1 portions of the arms being inwardlydeflected from intermediate portions and having inner surfaces 'disposedsubstantially in plane alignment with their associated inner furnitureleg engaging arm faces, the apertured end of the arm adapted forengagement with the lateral surface of the leg, being projectedthrough'and beyond y its associated rubber arm, the other rubber armbeing provided with an aperture from its bottom tread face in alignmentwith the aperture in its associated metallic strip arm. In testimonywhereof I hereuntoy aflix my signature this 21st day of May, 1928.

" DE FOREST ROE.

